Statement on the Need to Hear the Voices of the Mbari People
As descendants of the Mbari people, the traditional custodians of the lands encompassing present-day Harare, Mount Hampden, Mazowe and Concession, we believe that our voice is an important part of Zimbabwe’s national conversation on governance, heritage and constitutional development. While the restoration of the Mbari chieftainship remains unresolved, the absence of formal traditional leadership does not erase the history, identity and cultural rights of the Mbari people. Our connection to this land predates colonial occupation and remains a living part of our heritage.
As Parliament debates matters that affect the future governance of Zimbabwe, it is important that communities with deep historical and ancestral ties to the land are given an opportunity to contribute their perspectives. National development and constitutional reform should be informed not only by political actors but also by the custodians of the country’s cultural and historical heritage.
We therefore call for meaningful engagement with the Mbari people and other indigenous communities whose histories are intertwined with the lands on which modern Zimbabwe has been built. Recognition, consultation and inclusion strengthen national unity and ensure that development respects both the past and the future. The story of Harare did not begin with modern politics. It began with its people, its land and its heritage. Those voices deserve to be heard.
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